The present invention generally relates to broadband networks. More specifically, the invention is related to a session resource manager which provides a network provider with visibility and control of its broadband network.
The advancement of technology has led to a need for the accommodation of simultaneous transmission of data, voice and video regardless of the xe2x80x9cend-system.xe2x80x9d To accommodate this need, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) was designed. With ATM, the goal is to have one international standard for use with local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN). This accommodation of both LANs and WANs has led ATM to be an emerging technology driven by international consensus and not by a single vendor""s view or strategy.
ATM is a high-bandwidth, low delay, connection-oriented switching and multiplexing technique which uses fixed-sized cells. ATM is a cell-based technology and does not have to process every packet and calculate the most efficient route to a destination. Additionally, ATM offers quality of service guarantees for constant bit rate traffic that are time sensitive, such as voice and video, adding up to lower latency and the ability to handle very large bandwidths.
ATM supports both permanent virtual circuits, which are long-duration, provisioned connections, and switched virtual circuits (SVC), which are short-duration connections, established by endpoint signaling, much as is done for narrowband ISDN telephony. When a subscriber needs to communicate information using ATM switched virtual circuit technology, the subscriber""s endpoint equipment negotiates with the network for a connection to the destination using a standard protocol over a predetermined signaling channel, which is separate from the connection being requested. In setting up this connection, the ATM network is provided with the specific destination, type, bandwidth, and other attributes of the call, which will determine the end-to-end quality of service (QoS). In turn, ATM switches set up the connection. However, the ATM switches lack the intelligence of normal telephone switches which can, depending on certain factors, and in coordination with other intelligent network elements, provide call-related features, including modifying the destination of a call and providing service-based billing and other value-added services. Examples of these services include 800 and 900 calls. While the simplicity of ATM networks and switches keeps them inexpensive and fast, they lack proper means of allowing a network provider to provide intelligent network-like services.
Presently, due to the lack of intelligence provided by an ATM network, a network provider can only offer connections with agreed-upon QoS. Therefore, the billing provided by network providers is usually only capable of being based on connection time and QoS parameters, such as the bandwidth utilized. This, unfortunately, is the extent of a network provider""s billing capabilities relative to a subscriber""s connection to an ATM network. The network provider cannot offer consolidated billing for a service requiring multiple connections, provide services based on QoS guarantees, offer services that are personalized, or allow or deny access to services and connections based on the identity of the individual making the call, not just on the endpoint equipment""s ATM address.
Briefly described, the invention is a session resource manager (SRM) that utilizes the combination of a connection manager, which is located within the signaling path between a subscriber""s endpoint equipment and an ATM switch, and an access server, for purposes of providing a network provider with desired visibility and control over subscriber sessions.
For better understanding, the term session is defined as a relationship between the subscriber and the network operator resources, such as network connections, network elements such as conference bridges, and service provider resources, such as content servers, necessary to provide the subscriber with a desired data service. It begins when the subscriber selects a service and ends when the subscriber disconnects from that service. Within the session, one or more ATM connections may be established and released.
In general, the first embodiment of the invention provides for a subscriber""s use of the SRM access server to select a service or connection from a personalized menu. First, a connection request from a subscriber""s endpoint equipment to the SRM access server is allowed or disallowed by the SRM connection manager based upon the SRM connection manager""s database. If a connection is allowed, the SRM access server either automatically authenticates the subscriber or waits for the subscriber to provide authentication information. After authentication information has been provided, the SRM access server verifies the authentication by checking the SRM connection manager""s database. After verifying the subscriber""s identification, the SRM retrieves subscriber service information. Utilizing this information, a personalized services menu is returned to the subscriber for selection of services to be rendered. Finally, in accordance with the subscriber""s setup request, the SRM connection manager""s database is updated through its application programming interface to allow connections with the required characteristics to be established to and/or from the subscriber""s endpoint equipment, and a data connection, or connections, is established between the subscriber""s endpoint equipment and the data service which has been selected. When the subscriber is finished with the service, the SRM connection manager database is again updated by removing the data which allowed the connections for the service just completed.
Optionally, more than one connection may be established for a service and more than one service may be selected.
The invention has numerous advantages a few of which are delineated hereafter as examples. Note that the embodiments of the invention which are described herein possess one or more, but not necessarily all, of the advantages set out hereafter.
One advantage of the invention is that the network provider is provided improved visibility into the operation of its network by being able to know what activities are being performed on the network.
Another advantage of the invention is that it provides for maximum control by the network provider. This is due to the subscriber being required to go through the network provider""s predefined requirements in order to establish required ATM connections for a service which the subscriber has requested.
Another advantage of the invention is that it can correlate the connections and other network resources used to provide a service to a subscriber. This provides the network operator with additional flexibility in billing. Specifically, it enables service-based billing in addition to the existing connection-based billing.
Another advantage of the invention is that the network provider can guarantee that customers receive the bandwidth for which they have contracted at any ATM endpoint under the control of the SRM.
Another advantage of the invention is that, by providing an application program interface to the SRM connection manager database, and by allowing the use of an existing World Wide Web server on the SRM access server, the network provider can create new broadband service offerings.
Another advantage of the invention is, by routing only signaling through the SRM, and not bearer channels, the SRM does not have to handle high data volume.
Another advantage of the invention is that it implements methods which can provide the intelligence required by network providers to offer advanced services without requiring expensive hardware or software modifications to current ATM switch, access network or customer-premises equipment products, thereby keeping these existing products standards-based and quick.
Another advantage of the invention is that, due to the SRM connection manager and SRM access server being separate, a network provider may expand on the part of the SRM which requires increased capacity, without requiring replacement of the entire SRM.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one of reasonable skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional objects, features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.